The reign of Han Gaozu
Become the emperor Han Gaozu (202-195), it however had to compose, and divide the Empire into strongholds, distributed to some companions, and in districts (kiun and hien), managed by the central power. In spite of a recrudescence of authority under the empress Lu (195-180), widow of Gaozu, the feudal ones will be definitively ousted under the Wen-Ti reign (179-157), son of Gaozu and true founder of the Chinese imperial system such as it will remain until the beginning of the XX E century.  

From now on centralized (only the family members imperial will be able to receive strongholds), the power will be framed by a class of well-read men civils servant, trained in public schools or deprived and recruited by way of examination. Wen-Ti restores the study of the traditional ones. The Confucianism became thus the official political doctrines. The imperial examinations will be abolished only in 1904. Under the Wen-Ti reign, the final re-establishment of peace allowed the restarting of the economy as well as great clearings. The population increased, while constituted an easy class of tradesmen and property owners.  

The government of Han
In charge of the State the emperor, assisted of three advisers is. The decision-making power belongs to them. The executive is ensured by the Administration of the court, which understands nine ministries: ministries for the Sacrifices of State, the imperial Stables, Justice, the Receptions, the Temples to the imperial ancestors, Finances, the Administration of the gynaeceum, the Guard of the palate and finally of the Secretariat of court. This last will be placed later above the other ministries, of which it will ensure control. Apart from the Administration of the court three important ministries are: administration of the capital, Interior and Foreign affairs.  
 
Limits of the Empire

The imperial system was made up, but it remained to define its field. The warlike emperor Wudi (141-86) was the first to adopt an active policy with regard to Xiongnou (Huns), which, attracted by Chinese prosperity, had formed, in North, a powerful State. The countryside of 119 made it possible, by pushing back them, to colonize the rich grounds of Kan Sou.

At the same moment, Tch' ang-kien, sent of Wudi, traversed the “Great West” and, by an astute policy of alliances and divisions, prepared the conquests of the general Li Kouang-Li, who, in 104 and 102, carried the Chinese armies until the master keys of Fergana (Turkestan Russian). The action of Wudi was not limited to the West: the major part of Korea was conquered into 108, while the area of Canton made its entry in the Chinese world and that the southernmost border was pushed back in Viet-Nam, not far from the 17th parallel.

The presence of foreign establishments (Indian, Iranian) on the littoral of these areas put, there still, China in contact with the Occident. Thus was delimited a zone of influence (Mongolia, Turkestan, Korea, Viet-Nam) on which the Chinese will consider that they have a historical right. This constant is still valid nowadays, and one can say rightly that they are Han which made China.

End of the Han dynasty

The conquests of Wudi, if they had founded the pax sinica, had also ruined the country. Pauperism settled gradually, and the intrigues multiplied at the court.  

The reign of Wang Mang
An intrigue of court placed on the throne Wang Mang (9-24 apr. J. - C.), which, applicant to resurrect the authentic direction of traditional (somewhat altered on the occasion), promulgated a number impressing of laws. One qualified his mode of socialist dictatorship. The work of Wang Mang was voluntarily disfigured by the historians Confucianists.  

Han posterior
The Liu family was given on the throne into 25, but it had to face serious problems: the civil disorders which had accompanied the adventure by Wang Mang indeed carried to the population a terrible blow. The control of the colonies became increasingly difficult and, towards the end of the first century, the isolationist tendency carried it.

The economy of the country was unbalanced by the unrestrained luxury of the court, where well-read men and eunuches were opposed. The latter, which had the ear of the sovereign, were directly responsible for the exactions which, at the end of IIe disturbed century, caused the revolt of the yellow Turbans (184). The empire of Han was not to be concerned some. Torn by the civil war, it burst into 220 to constitute the Three Kingdoms.  
 
Mandarinat and intellectual life

The great novation of Han was the constitution of the gentilhommery of the well-read men civils servant, whose importance will be translated on the historical level as well as cultural. This class, animated of an ethics ambitious and having leisures, became a creative class. The tradesmen and the property owners nouveau riches could support the development of the techniques (paper, inks) and of the visual arts.  

The development of the historical kind
The triumph of the Confucianism, which, under Han, saw in the person of Flip-flop Tchong-cabbage (death in 105 av. J. - C.) one of its more brilliant philosophers, caused many comments of traditional, as well as the considerable development of the historical kind (the Chinese regarded the history as the basic tool of the politician). Two considerable works, mid--histories, mid--encyclopedic, were composed under Han: Che-ki (Memories of the historian) of Sseuma Ts' IEN (145-86 av. J. - C.) and History of Han, of Side Kou (32-92 apr. J. - C.).  

External contributions
The Confucianism did not assume however the monopoly of the intellectual life. Houainan-tseu, collection of free discussions centered on the taoism, of it is the proof. The contacts with the Occident contributed, in addition, with the development of doctrines influenced by the magic (alchemy, in particular). From Central Asia finally, of the buddhist monks resided in the capital and prepared successes which them religion was going soon to know in China.  

Literature
Han transfer the birth of the literature as a conscious art. A governmental office of the music ensured the safeguarding of the rural songs, to which the courtier-poets drew. It was also the birth and the apogee of insane, poem descriptive in prose, characterized by the splendor of the language and abundant of descriptions of palate, landscapes and royal huntings.